Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El‑Sayed speaks out on anti‑Muslim bias at Detroit Islamic convention

Detroit’s Islamic Society of North America held its annual gathering on a chilly Saturday evening, drawing roughly a thousand attendees eager to hear community leaders speak. Among the speakers was Dr. Abdul El‑Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat from Michigan, who used his slot to talk about something that’s been gnawing at his campaign: the rise of anti‑Muslim hate across the United States.

El‑Sayed stood next to Cenk Uygur – the founder of The Young Turks and a frequent firebrand on political podcasts – and Muslim scholar Zaid Shakir, both of whom have, at various times, questioned the official narrative of the September 11 attacks. The trio’s presence sparked a wave of criticism, especially because the conference had previously invited a handful of 9/11 conspiracy theorists.

When the moderator opened the floor, El‑Sayed didn’t dive into the conspiracy chatter. Instead, he said, “We find ourselves at a moment when people point to us, Muslim Americans, and tell us we don’t belong. They say this country isn’t ours because of our names or the way we pray.” He paused, letting the words settle, then added, “Michiganders don’t care how you pray; they care about what you pray for and whether you’re willing to know our names.”

The senator’s remarks were earnest, even a little emotional, and they seemed aimed at reminding listeners that ordinary people in Michigan value kindness over suspicion. He praised his home state, noting that voters “look at the heart, not the label.”

Meanwhile, the other panelists took a more combative tone. Uygur launched into a tirade against U.S. support for Israel, calling it “unbearable” and drawing a flippant comparison to the October 7 attacks, which he labeled “the worst thing since the Holocaust” in a sarcastic jab at mainstream coverage. He also hinted at his own doubts about the official 9/11 story, recalling a February post where he wrote, “I no longer believe the official 9/11 story.”

Shakir, a well‑known cleric, echoed similar sentiments, saying the official account of 9/11 contains “glaring weaknesses and inconsistencies” and that the tragedy has been weaponized by “the government and a significant segment of the Christian Right” to launch a “war on Islam.”

El‑Sayed, for his part, kept a tight leash on the conversation, refusing to comment on the conspiracy theories or the heated remarks about Israel. The decision likely reflected the recent resurfacing of a 2021 tweet in which he mourned the victims of 9/11 while simultaneously criticizing America—a post that had already caused a stir on his campaign’s social feeds.

In the end, the evening was a mixed bag: a sincere plea from a Senate hopeful to bridge divides, and a controversial platform that some observers argue gave a stage to fringe ideas. Whether that mix helps or harms El‑Sayed’s bid for the Senate remains to be seen, but it certainly gave voters a lot to talk about.